Marcoleta hints he may skip Sara Duterte impeachment vote

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Senator-judge Rodante Marcoleta, who is currently detained while facing a plunder charge, said Wednesday that he no longer saw it fit to participate in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a statement, Marcoleta said that from the onset, he disagreed with Senator-judge Francis Escudero being chosen as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, arguing that it was contrary to the law.

“Hindi ko na nakikitang nararapat pa akong makilahok sa impeachment trial ni Bise Presidente Sara Duterte, kabilang na ang deliberasyon at botohan, kung ang tatahakin ng Impeachment Court ay landas na lalapastangan sa ating Saligang Batas,” Marcoleta said.

(I no longer see it fit to participate in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, including the deliberations and voting, if the Impeachment Court takes a path that violates the Constitution.)

Marcoleta said the Senate should not apply its internal rules in determining the voting threshold when the Constitution itself provides for the requirement.

He issued the statement just as the impeachment court deliberated on the voting threshold needed to convict or acquit Duterte.

Escudero had originally ruled that 16 votes would be needed to convict her, but four senators have since been detained, gone into hiding or been absent from the trial.

“Kung magpapasya ang Impeachment Court na magtakda ng bilang ng boto na salungat sa malinaw na salita at kahulugan ng ating Saligang Batas, at ipagpapatuloy ang paglilitis sa ilalim ng isang namumunong kaduda-duda ang pagkakatalaga, ang dalawang paglabag na ito ay ganap na makasisira sa pagiging lehitimo at integridad ng impeachment trial,” Marcoleta said.

(If the Impeachment Court decides to set a voting threshold that is contrary to the clear words and meaning of the Constitution, and continues the trial under a presiding officer whose appointment is questionable, these two violations would seriously undermine the legitimacy and integrity of the impeachment trial.)

Marcoleta also cast doubt on whatever decision the impeachment court would reach, given what he described as these questionable circumstances.

The senator is currently detained at the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory. He is facing a P75-million plunder charge over alleged undeclared campaign contributions he received in connection with his 2025 senatorial bid. Marcoleta has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He has refused to enter a plea to the plunder charges filed against him.— MCG, GMA News